Buckeyes Hiring Buckeyes

The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine boasts an impressive network of alumni employed in all 50 states and around the world. Current students and recent graduates of the college are lucky to have a vast resource of mentors, role models, and potential employers from which to seek career guidance and professional advice. The Office of Career Management works to connect alumni and students and build lasting bonds within the veterinary Buckeye community by partnering with alumni to host career development events for students and posting their employment opportunities. When Buckeyes hire and mentor fellow Buckeyes, they contribute to a cycle of continued support that will ultimately benefit Ohio State veterinary students for many years to come.

Dr. Anthony Potorti is a 1987 graduate of The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine. When he had two openings at his large animal practice, he contacted The Office of Career Management to post the employment opportunity. He interviewed candidates from veterinary schools across the country and around the world. None were as impressive as Dr. Mallory Titler and Dr. Alexander de Roziere, 2014 graduates of The Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine, who joined his team following their graduation from the college in May.

According to Dr. Potorti, Dr. Titler and Dr. de Roziere stood out from the other candidates in many ways. “Ohio State students are obviously more finished and ready for practice,” he said. “They are better prepared to perform a thorough physical exam, take a good history, develop a differential diagnosis, and work through a case logically and systematically when they graduate. This has not been true for several students from other schools I have hired in the past. I think this is a result of not only good instruction, but exposure to a larger and varied caseload versus other schools.”

Dr. Tod Beckett, class of 1989, also hires current students for part time and summer employment. Alumni working with current students is beneficial because they have been through similar training, he says. “They are getting the same fundamental training I did when I was in veterinary school at Ohio State, so I know where they are in their training and where they need to be with a couple more years of school. I help students make the vast amount of data they get in school relevant in a clinical case environment and challenge them to think like a doctor,” he said.

Dr. Beckett continues to give back to current students thanks to the knowledge he gained from his own mentors. “I had great alumni mentors that taught me to be a good veterinarian,” he said. “I learned as much my first year out of school as I did my last two years in veterinary school thanks to great Ohio State alumni mentoring and teaching me the art of being a well-rounded veterinarian.”

Melanie Cox, a member of the class of 2016, has worked with Dr. Beckett for the past two years. “I found the opportunity to work with Dr. Beckett when I was searching for externships during my first year,” said Cox. “I saw that the VCA hospitals had an externship program and I applied to be an extern. After externing with Dr. Beckett that summer, he invited me to shadow whenever I wanted to, which I have taken advantage of on my school breaks.”

Cox says there are many benefits to working with a fellow Buckeye: “The biggest advantage is that Dr. Beckett can relate to what being a vet student at Ohio State is like in terms of the academic standards, techniques taught, and the work load. I have also externed with other Ohio State graduates and there is a strong sense of camaraderie. Dr. Beckett has a great network of other alumni who can assist in career advancement and networking opportunities, and that has been a great help as well.”

Dr. Potorti and Dr. Beckett are both giving back to students and recent graduates in important ways. As mentoring becomes more prominent in the workplace, Dr. Portorti believes it is important for veterinarians to support each other and current students. “Any professional with several years of experience needs to share that knowledge base with younger students of their profession,” he said. “It aids our patients, clients and the profession as a whole. It helps to improve our quality of care. Younger professionals bring with them a wealth of new knowledge and enthusiasm as well to share with the practice. If handled properly, the mentor and the student can learn volumes from each other!”

The Office of Career Management holds a number of events each year, including the Homecoming-Reunion Weekend Networking Luncheon where current students can learn about the many career paths of Ohio State veterinary alumni. They work in partnership with the Office of Advancement to continue the cycle of support between alumni, students, and the college. “Assistant Director of Career Management Amanda Fark and The Office of Career Management have played a vital role in the career development of our students and alumni,” said Director of Development Danielle Ford. “The entire office has been a wonderful addition to the college and offers a much needed service. They are the connecting force between our alumni and students, and we could not be more proud of the partnerships built in just over a year.”

If you are interested in posting a job opportunity, learning more about mentorship, or serving as an alumni volunteer with the Office of Career Management, please feel free to contact the office at (614) 292-1556 or cvmcareers@osu.edu.